The Minnesota Twins bolstered their bullpen on Friday by acquiring left-handed pitcher A.J. Minter from the New York Mets. The deal brings the 32-year-old veteran to the Twin Cities to provide relief during the second half of the season. Minnesota is taking on the remaining salary owed to Minter, totaling approximately 3.37 million dollars. He is currently playing on the final year of a two-year contract and will reach free agency this winter.
To complete the transaction, the Twins sent two infielders, Billy Amick and Bruin Agbayani, to the Mets organization. Neither player was ranked among the team's top prospect lists by major outlets. Amick is a 23-year-old corner infielder at the Double-A level with raw power but high strikeout numbers. Agbayani is a 19-year-old high school draft pick from Hawaii with limited professional experience.
The Twins bullpen has struggled throughout the 2026 season with a high ERA and a high walk rate. Minter brings a degree of control to the mound, having walked only two batters across his 23 innings this year. While his strikeout rate is currently at a career low following lat surgery in 2025, the team expects him to provide necessary depth for late-inning situations.
This trade marks a shift for Minnesota, which has played with .500 consistency while staying within striking distance of the AL Central lead and the Wild Card. Management expressed intent to add talent as the trade deadline approached. This move adds roughly 3.37 million dollars to their current payroll, a figure well within their spending capacity relative to their previous end-of-season totals.
For the Mets, the transaction serves as a way to shed salary and clear a spot on their 40-man roster. Relief pitcher Cole Sands, currently injured, was moved to the 60-day injured list to accommodate the roster management requirements. The Mets front office is expected to conduct further moves as they adjust their roster for the remainder of the season.